Ladder.



PATENTBD SEPT. 24,1907.

A. DEVAN.

' LADDER. APPLICATION rum) ran. 13. 1907.

PATENT orrron.

ANDREW DEVAN, OF MISSOULA, MONTANA;

LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1907.

Application filed February 13 1907. Serial No. 367.205.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW DEVAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Missoula, in the county of Missoula and State of Montana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ladders, and more particularly that class adapted to be used in connection with railway cars, although the latter is adapted for any purpose for which it is found applicable; and the object thereof is to provide a flexible ladder in a manner as hereinafter set forth which will yield when hit by a car or other obstruction, thereby preventing the tearing out of the rungs or steps as is the case in the form of ladders or steps now in general use upon railway cars.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ladder in a manner as hereinafter set forth in which the rungs are so connected together that if any of the upper fastening devices for the ladder when it is secured to the car remain in place the lower part of the ladder will be intact so that it can be used even though the bottom fastening devices for the ladder have been dislodged.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a flexible metallic ladder which shall be simple in its construction, strong, durable, eflicient in its use, readily set up, conveniently secured in position, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a front view of a ladder in accordance with this invention, showing the same secured to a railway car, the latter being brokenaway and shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side view.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the ladder consists of a body portion formed from a single piece of suitable metallic material, and which is so shaped as to provide the rungs, top, bottom and portions of each side of the ladder. The body portion 1 at the lower end thereof is substantially U-shaped, one arm of the U-shaped portion terminating in an eye 2, and the other arm terminating in a loop 3, the eye 2 extending at right angles with respect to the loop 3. The bottom of the U-shaped portion 1 constitutes the lower rung of the ladder and which is indicated by the reference character 4. The loop 3 terminates in a transversely-extending portion 5 which constitutes another rung and'the said portion 5 terminates in a loop 6 above the plane of the loop 3 and the said loop 6 terminates in a; vertically-extending portion 7 which forms a part of one side of the ladder. The portion 7 terminates in a loop 8. The body portion from the loop 8 is then bent in a transverse and vertically-extending manner, forming thereby the rungs 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 and the parts 14 and 15 of one side, the parts 16 and 17 of the other side and the loops 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26, the loops 18, 20, 21 and 26 being above the plane of the loops 19, 22, 23 and 25. Projecting from the loop 26, is a portion 27 which forms a part of one side of the ladder and which terminates in a loop 28. From the loop 28 the body portion extends in a transverse manner, as at 29, forming the top rung of the ladder, said rung 29 terminating in the portion 30 which forms one part of one side of the ladder at the top thereof and said part 30 is secured to the loop 25, as

Links 32 and 33- are provided for respectively connecting the loops 24 and 22 together and the loop 20 to the loop 8 and links 34, 35, 36 are provided for respectively connecting together the loops 26, 23, the loops 21, 19 and the loops 18 and 3. These links constitute means for forming the remaining parts of the sides of the ladder which are not formed by the parts of the body portion. Each of the links is provided with a pair of eyes 37 to enable the links being attached to the loops formed in the body portion.

The top of the ladder is secured to the roof of the car by the eye-bolts 38 and clamping nuts 39, the bolts being connected by a tie bar 40.

The ladder near its upper end is secured to the side of the car by the eye-bolts 41 and clamping nuts 42, a tie bar 43 being provided for the bolts 41. The ladder at its bottom is secured to the side of the car by the eye-bolts 44 and the clamping nuts 45, a tie bar 46 being provided for the bolts 44. The bolts 38 extend through the top of the car and the bolts 41 and 44 through the side of the car. The bolts 38 take in the loops formed at the top of the ladder, the bolts 41 take in the loops 23 and 24, while one of the bolts 44 takes 7 parts flexibility to the ladder so that if it should be struck by a car or other obstruction that portion which is hit or struck will give and prevent injury.

What I claim is 1. A ladder having its body formed of a plurality of integral L-shaped portions alternately disposed with respect to each other, the horizontal parts of said L-shaped portions constituting the rungs of the ladder, and links alternately disposed throughout said body for connecting the L-shaped portions together.

2. A ladder having its body formed of a plurality of integral L-shaped portions alternately disposed with respect to each other, the horizontal parts of said L-shaped portions constituting the rungs of the ladder, and links alternately disposed throughout said body for connecting the L-shaped portions together, said body further having the bottom thereof bent in a U-shaped manner, said II-shaped portion terminating in one of said L-shaped portions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW DEVAN.

Witnesses Cmus'rornnn I. CONNOLLY, F. W. Monnis. 

